Dragon's Mate
by sildarmillion
Summary: Alys needs to deal with the consequences of the decision she made at the end of Dragon's Bait. Mature themes, but only a little bit of graphic violence. Follows a plot, but also a reflection piece. Characters from original novel by Vivian Vande Velde plus OCs. Title makes me cringe, but it rhymes with Dragon's Bait!
1. Chapter 1

Alys felt a fresh wave of nausea hit her. She sank to the side of the dirt path. In front of her, Selendrile stopped and turned around. He put his hands in his pockets and waited for an explanation.

"I feel too dizzy," she mumbled, her eyes closed.

Selendrile stood quietly observing her clutching her belly and slowly rocking back and forth.

"You're too dizzy to fly and now you're too dizzy to walk," he observed in his usual monotone. "How do you suggest we get to Crowfoot?"

Alys didn't answer. She felt too sick to point out that they could not have made it to Crowfoot by daybreak if they went by foot. Selendrile was annoyed ever since she insisted that she could not fly, even though his expression betrayed no hint of it.

He left her side and walked further down the path as if he sensed something coming towards them. Soon enough she heard hooves and wheels and saw the light of an approaching cart. The driver stopped when he came upon them.

"Excuse me, Sir," she heard Selendrile say, "Might I trouble you for a little while? You see, my wife has taken very ill and I fear I need to take her to a doctor right away. Might we bother you with a ride to Crowfoot?"

"Aye, she doesn't look so well, does she?" The stranger had a gruff but kind voice. "But I'm afraid there's no doctor at Crowfoot tonight. It seems the doctor himself was taken sick. I heard the townspeople speak of it at the market."

Selendrile was quiet.

"But if you need a place to stay," the stranger continued, "my farmhouse is a little way off down the road from here. My wife will be glad to tend to yours for the night."

"I'm grateful," said Selendrile and promptly walked up to Alys and dragged her up with a hand on her waist and loaded her onto the cart. The bumping motion of the cart did little to soothe her nausea, but she felt relieved not to have to walk.

"From where do you come?" the farmer asked them.

"Further east," was all Selendrile answered.

"And your name, Sir?"

"Dragonsmith."

It was the name they used in big cities when they traveled as a high-born couple. Country folk usually did not have such names. Perhaps Selendrile thought the farmer would be more hospitable if there was the possibility of a generous compensation, which would not be problem for them after all.

By the time they arrived at the farmhouse, she was feeling worse. The farmer went inside to fetch his wife, and Selendrile silently helped Alys down from the cart. She rested her weight on him and waited.

Through her wave of dizziness she was only aware of a plump woman ushering her inside and setting her down on a hard armchair. She closed her eyes and leaned back and was only half listening to the conversation between the farmer and his wife.

"Why don't you fetch Angela to come take a look at her?"

"Oh I don't know about that. Folks have been saying things about her these days. They're blaming the sickness at Crowfoot on her. Been saying she's a witch."

"Oh nonsense! Angela's as good as any doctor and you know she's helped us out through many a sick spot."

The husband started to grumble, but Selendrile cut in.

"I'd be really grateful if you would fetch her, please. And if I can repay you in anyway- "

Alys started the feel the bile rise in her throat.

"A bucket," she gasped.

"Oh dear," exclaimed the farmer's wife and Alys heard a rustle of movement in the next room. She gripped the arm of the chair tightly.

"Why do you need a bucket?" asked Selendrile. She could detect confusion in his voice.

But in response, Alys only retched and tried to hold on to the vomit until her hostess placed a bucket in her arms. She hadn't eaten all day, so she only threw up liquid. But when it was over, she immediately felt better and the tension in her body slowly ebbed.

She became aware of a hand gently rubbing her back in circles. She turned around to see the farmer's wife sitting on the arm of the chair, smiling down at her. She was a plump kindly woman.

"There, I'm sure that feels better now," she said.

Alys nodded and set down the bucket. She murmured her thanks to the woman who only smiled wider and said, "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. It might even be good news."

This seemed to be a bit much for Selendrile.

"My wife is belching out the water inside her. How can that be good news?" he demanded, the impatience clear in his voice.

"Why, she might be with child!" exclaimed the woman.

Alys was taken quite unprepared by the declaration. "It can't be," she exclaimed before even thinking about it. The farmer's wife looked from her incredulous face to Selendrile's still confused one.

"Why, how long have you been married?" she asked.

"Not even two years, yet," replied Selendrile. "But what makes you think she is with child?"

"Why, haven't seen a woman with child having trouble holding on to her food? Why I never could when I was pregnant."

The woman clearly had not noticed that Alys had not thrown up any food. And that she was weak and dizzy and probably coming down with a fever. Besides, she thought, her monthly blood had not been late. There was no way she could be pregnant even if a human could bear children with a dragon.

"Anyways, Angela would be able to tell," their hostess went on. "Meantime, I shall go prepare a room for you to spend the night. My son's room has been empty ever since he left for work. I'm sure that will suite you fine," she talked even as she left the room.

Selendrile turned to look at Alys with raised eyebrows.

"Is there any particular reason why you might be with child?" he asked.

"I'm not," she responded crossly. "And weren't you the one who told me we could never have children?"

"Ah, but how am I to know what you're up to when I leave you behind in different towns during the day?"

It took Alys a few seconds to fully process the insult and the next moment she was on her feet.

"How dare you?" she growled at him. She wanted to fly at him and strike him, but on her feet now, she reeled and sank back down on the armchair.

"Clearly I have offended you." He might have just made another interesting observation about humans.

"Wouldn't a dragon be offended by an accusation like that?" she snapped at him. Selendrile had told her that dragons typically remained loyal to their mates while they were still together.

He considered her question with his head cocked to one side and finally said, "Yes. Especially females."

Alys said nothing in response.

Uncharacteristically, he continued talking. "But females are always very careful when choosing their mates. And when a male is not able to give a female any children, she has no obligation to remain with him."

Alys put a hand to her forehead and she realized that it was getting hotter. She would have to think about what he said, but right now hear hurt too much. When the farmer's wife came down to fetch her, she gladly went with her and gratefully lay down in bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Alys' fever was burning by the time Angela arrived. She could sense everyone standing around the bed as Angela felt her cheeks and forehead with her bony hands. Even through her fever, she could tell there was something different about the way Angela went about examining her.

"Let me see your palms, child," the woman bid, and removed the blankets from top of Alys. She held out her hands as Angela put them together and studied them.

"Have you been feeling dizzy?" she asked. Alys nodded.

"Have felt any irritation on your back?" Again Alys nodded.

"How long?"

"A few weeks now," Alys whispered. But she couldn't see what it had to do with her sickness.

Finally, Angela felt her stomach and rubbed her hand over it.

"She's not with child," she told the others. "I'm afraid it's just a bad case of stomach flu."

"And when will she recover?" Selendrile asked, his voice betraying none of the annoyance Alys was sure he felt.

"Oh she needs to rest. For about a week. I suggest she remain here and not be moved."

This would definitely create problems for Selendrile.

"I should be able to prepare a mixture that will be helpful for her, but I'm afraid I didn't bring it with me," said Angela, addressing the room again. "But I do have something that should help her sleep off the fever. I will give it to her right now, but I will can be back tomorrow with what she needs."

Alys heard the farmer and his wife thank Angela for her help and assure Selendrile that the two of them could stay as long as they needed. Selendrile would have to figure out how to deal with that. She couldn't bother with that right now. Angela sat her up and pressed a container to her lips. Alys opened her mouth and accepted the bitter liquid, gasping at the strong aftertaste. She could barely make out the voices talking around her; she lay back down and quickly drifted off to sleep.

When Alys awoke, it was morning and her fever had subsided, though she still felt very weak. Before long her hostess came to check on her and on seeing her awake immediately started fussing over her pillows and blanket and helped her sit up. Then she told Alys to hold on a minute and came back with a steaming pot of broth.

"Angela told me this is just the thing to help you get your strength back," she explained sitting down on a stool next to the bed. Alys had had started to protest, but she would hear none of it and insisted on feeding the girl herself.

"What shall I call you?" asked Alys.

"I'm Mirym; but folks call me Mother Mirym," the old woman replied.

"I'm Alys."

"That's a very pretty name," Mother Mirym observed. "Now that husband of yours, he's run off to take care of some urgent business," she said, shaking her head disapprovingly. "I don't understand what could be so important."

"Oh he does have some very urgent business that needs immediate attention. I could not have picked a worse time to fall sick," said Alys quickly, anxious to avoid the subject. "But I am so sorry that we had to bother you-"

"Oh nonsense," the woman smiled. "I love an excuse to take care of you young folk. We've been quite lonely ever since our children left home. I keep asking Angela to come over, but that one likes to keep to herself mostly."

"I am really grateful to her for tending to me. I do feel so much better."

"Well, she should be back soon with her remedies for your stomach flu. And that husband of yours didn't say when he would be back. Just that he would come as soon as his business is taken care of."

Alys wondered if he would come back later that night or the end of the week. She imagined he didn't want to deal with her while she was sick.

"I should teach him a thing or two about abandoning a sick wife like this!" But she didn't sound as annoyed at Selendrile as she was trying to make it sound. No doubt he had charmed her and put on a sincere display of gratitude for her kindness and hospitality.

"How long have you known each other?" she now asked Alys.

"About two years."

"Got married right after you met then? How did you meet?" As she asked her questions, she also ladled a helping of broth with solid vegetables into her mouth.

Alys took some time to chew on the vegetables as she considered the answer. She had never been asked this question before.

"He was passing by my town," she said finally.

"And where was that?"

She considered this for a moment and then said "Griswold." A high-born man was more likely to find someone for a wife in Griswold than in St. Toby's.

"And where is he from?"

It was time to feign sickness to avoid questions.

"He's from-" she said and then sighed and put a hand to her forehead. "Mother Mirym, would you please get me some water."

"Oh of course, my dear," she said and quickly put down the pot and bustled out of the room.

Alys hoped she wouldn't press the question. Truthfully, she didn't know herself where Selendrile was born. He had wandering around for so long now that it probably didn't matter. He had taken her to his hoard once, but only after she had been with him for over a year. But you could hardly call that his home.

Thankfully Mirym seemed to have forgotten about her question when she returned with the water, and she resumed feeding Alys she started talking about her children and where they live right now. And once she began, she was content to go on for a while.

Angela came well past midday. This time Alys got a better look at her. She didn't look as old as Alys had initially thought. She was a great deal younger than Mirym and was perhaps the age Alys' mother would have been were she alive. But her face had the haggard look of a woman who had aged too fast.

Alys suddenly remembered a scrap of the conversation from last night about the townspeople saying she was a witch. She wondered if it was true.

"I've asked Mother Mirym to give us some time alone," said Angela as she drew a vial from her bag and set it down by the bedside. "I wish to speak with you."

Alys nodded.

"I'm afraid your illness is not the stomach flu."

Somehow Alys didn't feel completely surprised by that.

"Your husband," began Angle a little uncertainly. "I can tell what he is," she finished slowly.

Now Alys felt certain that she was a witch and decided to ask her about it.

"I suppose you could call me that," Angela nodded. "I do know a great deal about the Fey and the Fair Folk and their remedies."

She was quiet for some time and then she said, "What you have, I have seen it before. I call it the Sickness of the Fey."

This time Alys was surprised.

"I have known two other women who have been with the Fey and I have seen their sickness. I would not have recognized it if I had not seen your husband though."

"So, this sickness caused the fever and the dizziness?" asked Alys.

Angela nodded. "And the nausea and the weakness and the irritation."

"But why does this happen?" Alys looked up at her. Angela didn't drop her gaze, but she responded, "I don't know. I only know it happens when you have been with the Fey."

"Will I get better?"

"Yes," Angela sighed. "I have brought a potion that I made myself. If you drink a little bit every day, it will help you recover quickly. But-"

She stopped at looked Alys in the eye, "But if you remain with him, I'm afraid, it will happen again."

Alys was silent for a long time. It had never occurred to her that being with Selendrile might cause sickness. She had worried of course that she might conceive a half-human half-dragon child, but he had assured her it was impossible. She wondered if he had known about the sickness, but then he had seemed baffled last night.

"What happened to these women who had the sickness?" she asked quietly.

"One of them chose to remain with her lover. The other didn't. The one who left, well, she is alive, though her health was never the same again. The one who stayed-" Angela closed her eyes. "She fell sick several times, and she didn't live a long life."

"So if I stay with him, I will die?" Alys asked, but more to herself than to Angela.

"I'm sure it will be a while before that happens, but yes, I do believe you will."

A sudden thought occurred to Alys.

"Did you-" she began to ask, but was not sure how to put the question. "Were you-"

Angela seemed to guess what she wanted to know.

"Yes." She laughed silently. "My sister and I. I was the one who left."

"And were they … dragons?"

"No. Faeries."

Alys frowned. "So, it could be different for me."

"Perhaps." Angela sighed. "But I have heard of other men and women who stayed too long with the Fair Folk and perished, though I haven't met them."

"So, I should leave him?" Alys wondered absently.

She had started to wonder recently whether she could stay with Selendrile for long. She was aging normally, but he remained the same. Already she appeared the same age as him, whereas she had felt so much younger when they had first been together. But this sickness put a whole new perspective on her relationship with him.

"I wish had answers for you," Angela said after a while, waking Alys from her reverie. "If you don't mind my asking," she paused. "How did you come to be with a dragon?"

Alys took in a deep breath and laughed quietly. Then, for the first time, she told someone her story. As she related her tale, she realized how much she had longed to be able to tell it to someone. There was nobody save Selendrile with whom she could be open about her life anymore.

Angela listened attentively and didn't say a word until she was done. She took the vial from the bedside and offered Alys a small portion to drink. It tasted surprisingly sweet.

"Drink only this much for a few nights," she instructed. "You should be fine after that."

She was quiet for some time and then she asked, "Do you know how long you plan to stay with him?"

Alys shook her head.

"We never talked about it."

"Do you like being with him?"

Angela looked like she was about to apologize for asking an impertinent question, but now that Alys had someone to talk to, she felt the urge to keep talking about her life.

She spoke of her travels to small towns and villages and to big cities. Selendrile had developed quite an interest in the ways of humans and was quite eager to explore new places and mingle with different people. They had been to foreign lands, and it turned out Selendrile's shape-shifting abilities allowed him to speak any language. She worried several times, if he would ever turn savage on any humans; but he always told her that he preferred sheep and cows to humans anyways.

But they had also visited mountains and waterfalls and springs; seas and oceans and beaches; cliffs and valleys and islands. She had seen so much more than she could ever have imagined.

As she spoke of her travels, she saw Angela smile.

"Is that why you didn't leave him?"

"What?"

"You love to travel."

Alys nodded. "I do. But it's not just that."

She wasn't sure how to explain it.

"He has never treated me badly. I have seen how many men back at my home treated their wives. Selendrile is different though. He doesn't like to talk that much, and he always does what he wants. But he never inconveniences me and he always listens when I make requests."

Even as she said it, Alys was aware it sounded contradictory. But then Selendrile was very hard to understand, let alone explain.

Angela hesitated, but then asked, "Do you love him?"

Alys was startled by the question and looked up. Then she sighed and shook her head and looked down again.

"I don't know."

Then she laughed quietly.

"Maybe I do. I don't know how to tell. It's hard because I never know what is on his mind. Dragons are selfish creatures and perhaps he keeps me around for his own amusement. Perhaps he will tire of me soon. I suppose in dragon years, I have been with him for a very short time."

They looked at each other and Alys smiled.

"But I do love to travel."


	3. Chapter 3

Alys was sorry to see Angela go, but the old woman was more than happy to keep her company. She helped Alys out of her bed and helped her wash. Alys was feeling well enough that could join Mirym and her husband Owyn for supper in the kitchen.

But afterwards, she could feel her temperature start to rise and went back to her bed. The window was open and the cool breeze soothed her feverish skin. She closed her eyes and thought about her sickness. Perhaps it really was time to leave Selendrile. She knew she would have to do it eventually. In a few years, she would look older than him and in a few more, they would have to pretend to be mother and son when in public. The idea was revolting.

But she didn't know what kind of life she could make for herself. She had learned so much during her travels. She could easily find a place to settle down with a decent profession. But would she want to have a family? Would she want to be with a man after having been with a dragon?

She could not say she was unhappy with Selendrile. He was stoic and emotionless most of the time, but there were moments when he genuinely seemed to care for her. She could never be sure, though. With him, it was difficult to tell.

She thought back to last night. She had been angry at him. He had questioned her character and suggested she hadn't been faithful to him. It still angered her to think about it, but she knew her anger had more to do with that he could have doubted her rather than about her character. If she wanted to start a new life, what could she say of her character? Many girls married at eighteen these days, but she was no longer a maiden. She was not married to Selendrile. And she had given up her maidenhood to a dragon. He had never forced her. Not too long after they had started to travel together, he had come to her, and she had not objected. Not for the first time, Alys wondered what madness had induced her to sleep with a dragon.

She turned her head when she heard a flapping noise at the window. A blackbird had perched on the sill. It cocked its head to one side. It was Selendrile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked the bird.

He flew inside and assumed his human form.

Alys sat up in bed.

"What are you doing? If they see you like this-" gesturing his nude form, "we're going to be in trouble."

"Relax," he said crossing his arms and standing at the foot of the bed. "I won't be long. I only came to see how you were."

"Why?" she asked a little irritably.

He shrugged.

"I don't plan to make an appearance until you are able to leave. How much longer will it be?"

Now Alys shrugged.

"Two more days perhaps. I feel much better already."

She wondered if she should mention her sickness, but decided now was not the time. That discussion would require some time.

"Well, that was all I wanted to talk about," he said and abruptly turned back into the blackbird. But he sat on top of the bed cover and didn't leave.

"What are you still doing here?" Alys asked. But he only cocked his head and watched her.

Annoyed but also a little pleased, Alys lay back down in the covers.

She remembered what he had said last night. That a female dragon had no obligation to stay with her mate if he could give her no children. But she had known from the start that they would have no children. He had told her so. And there was no reason he would lie about it. Did he think she wanted to leave, because she wanted a family? Or did he worry that she might leave?

She stared at the blackbird watching her and almost wished he would change back and lie down next to her. She reached out and stroked the bird's head and he came closer and stood on top of her blanket. He was still there by the time she fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Alys had regained much of strength. She joined Mirym and Owyn for breakfast and they were only too happy to pamper her. Mirym absolutely refused to let her help with any housework, so in the end she accompanied Owyn into the farm and he showed her around his barn and his vegetable gardens.

Their children must have been very happy here, she thought. With a pang of longing, she thought of her father and their home in St. Toby's. But as always, she pushed the thought away. She had no friends there. Her father had had no friends there.

As dusk started to approach, Alys thought she should go lie down again. She was starting to feel tired just from being up all day. She began to rise from the armchair, but stopped when she thought she heard angry shouting coming from outside.

"Who is out there?" Mirym asked her husband just as there was a loud knock on the front door.

The farmer went to answer it and his wife and Alys followed. There were five men standing outside. They had the look of an angry mob. Two of them were carrying wooden planks. They meant to beat somebody up.

"Where is Angela?" demanded a dark-haired man with a thin moustache.

"She's not here," replied the farmer. "Why do you need her?"

"We know you're hiding her!" shouted another. He had a thin scar on the side of his face. "Just let us have her, and we'll let you be."

"I told you she's not here," said the farmer, sounding exasperated. "And I don't know where she is. Haven't seen her since yesterday."

Mirym was trembling. Alys put an arm around her. There was going to be trouble, and she hoped Selendrile was somewhere nearby.

"Don't believe a word he says," said one of the men at the back, whose face was obscured by the shadows. He carried a plank in his hands. "Search the house."

They shoved the three of them out of the way and spread out all over the house.

"I'm telling you she's not here," cried Owyn, going after them.

"Shut up, old man!" screamed the man with the scar struck him on the face.

Mirym screamed and ran to him where he had crumpled on the ground.

"Please," she sobbed. "Leave us be. We don't know anything."

"You don't do you?" The man sneered at her. "You deny sheltering a witch, do you?"

"She's not a witch," she said through her tears. "She has been so kind to us-"

"Quiet!" The man yelled. "Do you have any idea what she has done to us? The doctor is dead. So are five other people. And half the town is sick."

Some kind of epidemic, Alys thought. If the townspeople had only asked, perhaps Angela might have even helped them fight it. But kind of madness always drove men to find somebody to blame. Every time they faced sickness and loss, humans turned into vicious creatures and wouldn't hesitate to kill to channel their hatred. She had almost been burned at the stake herself and she had witnessed others being burned at the stake for the smallest accusation of witchcraft. She had seen mobs beat hungry young boys to death for stealing food. She had seen the vicious side of humans. How could she go back and live with them?

Of course, the men did not find Angela in the house. This only made them angrier. As the stood there arguing, they finally noticed Alys.

"Who is that?" the dark-haired man demanded.

"Our guest," the farmer said quickly. He was on his feet and had his arm around his weeping wife. "She knows nothing of Angela."

"Your guest, is she?" the man responded, not sounding convinced. He walked up to Alys. Alys took a deep breath and forced herself to be calm.

"Where do you come from?"

"Griswold," she said automatically.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was passing through and I needed a place to stay."

"And you're traveling alone?"

"No, with my husband. He's gone to attend to some business. He should be back very soon."

"Is that so? And he left you alone in a strange place?"

Alys could tell he didn't believe her.

"Please," Mirym pleaded with them. "She has nothing to do with Angela."

"Doesn't she? Maybe she is Angela in disguise. Witches are known to alter their appearances."

Not again, thought Alys. It seemed like she could not escape being accused of witchcraft.

"I'm not a witch and I'm certainly not Angela," she told them.

"Well, let's find out shall we?" The man sneered at her. Then he proceeded to drag her outside and flung her onto the ground.

"Show your true form, witch!" he screamed at her.

Alys knew denying would not help her. These men were determined to kill. If they could not find Angela, they would kill her and convince themselves that she had been Angela all along.

Owyn and his wife had rushed out after them, but the other men grabbed hold of them. It was time to take other measures.

"Selendrile!" Alys screamed into the evening. "Are you here at all?"

If he wasn't nearby, she knew she was done for. She began to panic in earnest now.

"What is she doing?" shouted one of the men. "Was she casting a spell?"

"Calling a spirit, more like," shouted one of the others. "Don't let her get away with it."

The man with the plank hit her several times on the back. The pain shot through her, and she didn't feel she had the strength to call out again.

"Show your true form!" he commanded and hit her again, this time on the face.

Alys was on the ground blinded by the pain. She felt blood trickle from her forehead into her eyes. Why wasn't Selendrile here?

As the throbbing pain in her head cleared a little she saw that the old couple had been struggling to get to her and the men had started to beat them now. They were crumpled on the ground, bleeding.

Alys rose to her knees. It was hopeless now. And she couldn't watch the helpless old man and his wife be tortured for taking her in and being so generous when there had been no need.

"Stop," she called out to them. "Stop hurting them. You want to kill a witch? Fine, then. I am a witch. I can even be Angela if it makes you feel better. Kill me then, but let them go."

The man with the scar grabbed her by her hair. "We are going to burn you at the stake in front of the whole town," he snarled and began to drag her away.

"No, don't," screamed Mirym. "Don't sacrifice yourself to save us!"

She had started to get up, but one the men grabbed her from behind.

"Oh she's not going to save you. Friends of witches are no friends of ours."

And before she could realize what was happening, the scarred man pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the stomach. As her husband rushed to her, he met the same fate.

Alys screamed and struggled against her captor to go to them, but another blow to her face sent her sprawling on the ground.

And that's when he finally came. She heard the thundering flap of his giant wings and the piercing shriek of a dragon. The men shouted, and leaving Alys, started to run. But they couldn't outrun a dragon. Alys rolled on to her stomach and lifted her head. She looked on as Selendrile tore the men apart from limb to limb.


	5. Chapter 5

Alys had seen Selendrile kill before. More than once, he had killed robbers who waylaid them on the road. And he didn't have to be in his true form to overpower humans. Alys had protested the first time. But was it so wrong to kill someone who intended to hurt them? But if they had the power to overcome those who wanted to hurt others, should they not have tried to help the victims of these people? So many times they have passed by travelers attacked on the road and young women accused of witchcraft burned at the stake. It was not in Selendrile's nature or his interest to interfere. In time, Alys learned to turn away from those in distress. Yet not so long ago, she had been one of them.

Now as she thought about going back to live among humans, she was afraid if she could do it. What if she had lost touch with her humanity? Alys shivered in the cool breeze on the grassy bank by the river. As far as she knew, they were miles away from civilization. She picked out the leaves of the herbs she had collected, crushed them in her palms and put them on the wound in her forehead and arms.

Selendrile landed nearby and dropped the pile of firewood he was carrying near her feet. Alys organized them for him and he lightly breathed fire onto them. He changed to his human form and began to put on his clothes. Owyn's clothes. Before they had left, he had gone inside the farmhouse to take a few things they might need – food, blankets, clothes. Alys hadn't objected. They had spent the past two years stealing from abandoned farmhouses. Sometimes it was quicker than flying to Selendrile's hoard to get money and go shopping.

Alys had crawled over to the dying couple. They had been beyond help. Even as they died, they had only kind words to offer to her. Alys had insisted Selendrile dig them a grave and bury them. He had not argued.

Why was it that the kind and generous were destroyed by the world? Why were humans so cruel? And she had worried about losing touch with her humanity.

Now Selendrile sat down next to her on the blanket and reminded her she might have a wound on her back. She undid the back of her dress and let him examine it. There was a large bruise, but no wound. But he applied the crushed herbs to it anyway.

"When did you get there?" she asked him.

"They were beating up all three of you."

"Could you have saved them?"

Selendrile was quiet for a while.

"Perhaps," he said after a while. "But they were not my priority."

Alys sighed. She had come to understand. Dragons were coldly rational. If he had saved the old couple, they could not have left them there battered and bruised. He would have had to change to his human form and they would have known the truth about who he really was. In some ways, it was cleaner to let them die.

Like so many times throughout her travels with him, Alys pushed these thoughts from her head. Selendrile was finished tending her back. She laced up her dress again and took a deep breath. She would have to tell him about his sickness. But how would he react to it? He could not force her to stay. No, she knew he would expect her to leave. Now that it came down to it, she knew she didn't want to leave him. Not just because she enjoyed the travels or because of her doubts about humanity; but because she didn't want to leave him. Despite his dragon nature, she knew he cared about her. She didn't know if it was even possible for dragons to care about a human, but he did. And she knew just how much she cared for him.

She could die an early death even if she lived among humans. She had seen people die before their time during her travels. Diseases, plagues, storms and floods. And people killed each other for wealth and power all the time. What guarantee did she have of a long healthy life among humans? And if she stayed with him, maybe she would die before she became too old for him.

Alys put her head on her knees. She knew she was being unreasonable. The moment she had decided to be with Selendrile, she knew she would have to face the day when she would have to make difficult choices. And now she was making excuses to herself to not have to make them. She had escaped death so many times by now. It wouldn't be right if she didn't at least try to have a full life.

"Selendrile," she said finally. "I need to tell you something."

It was like she had predicted. He said nothing after she told him about her sickness. He stared down at the grass by his feet for a very long time and then asked where she would like to go. When she didn't respond, he told her to take the night to think about it and let him know in the morning.

Then he got up to go and Alys caught hold of his hand. He turned around to look at her, his face wearing an expression she had never seen before. Perhaps he recalled the gesture and he understood what she meant.

"You should live, Alys," he said and gently removed his hand from hers. He walked off into the trees and didn't look back.

For the first time since she had been with him, Alys wept bitterly.


	6. Ending Thoughts

A/N: Dragon's Bait had at the same time a completely satisfactory and a completely unsatisfactory ending. It wrapped up the story about revenge VVV wanted to tell, but it left itself open to a world of possibilities. Part of me was satisfied with that, but a bigger part of me kept wondering. The situation in which Alys puts herself will no doubt bring up questions of morality, humanity and the like and of course there is the question of what kind of relationship will they have. All these musings led me to write this fic. This is the only fic I finished, and hence the only one I posted! (There is one other, not sure if I want to share that with the world!)

I just went with what I interpreted would naturally follow from the end of the novel. I meant to give it a more concrete ending than the one I did. Surprisingly, it was really difficult to write the ending. I wanted Alys and Selendrile to stay together, but it just didn't seem feasible. Unless I invented certain rules ot the world that seemed improbable even to me. I did take the liberty to invent a sickness (I can't believe I invented a metaphor for an STD; it sort of made itself up while I was writing). And also, I wanted to stay true to VVV's portrayal of Selendrile and keep his true feelings ambiguous. That's why I knew Alys would have to leave eventually, but I couldn't bring myself to write it and maybe VVV couldn't either.

My friend who read the fic before I posted it said that whatever Alys chose, she hoped Alys would become a vigilante and protect women accused of witchcraft. I do love the idea, but I don't see how she can do that without staying with the dragon. And I don't see why Selendrile would care. Or maybe he would… you never know with him. But if they stayed together how would they deal with her sickness?

A guilty part of me that really wanted a "happy ending" came up with this following outline, but for the sake of maintaining the high standards slash integrity slash other pretentiousness of my fic, I didn't actually write it, but I thought I'd share the outline regardless.

_Alys has been living in a small town for a few months. Perhaps as a tinsmith or perhaps as a teacher. After all her travels and learning, she might have a pick of professions. She mingles with the townsfolk, but she also keeps away. They know her as a young widow, but one very reluctant to find a new husband._

_One day, while she is in the market, she sees Selendrile approaching. In human form; in broad daylight. She drops her basket in surprise and runs to him._

_"How is this possible?" she asks._

_He had sought out a witch. A powerful witch who could turn him human._

_"Why would you do this?" she asks._

_Because dragons are selfish creatures. He didn't want the company of a dragon after having hers. A dragon would have never come back for him. A dragon would never have submitted to be burned at the stake for the chance to save his life._

_"Have you married?" he asks._

_"No," she responds, silently laughing._

_He can finally give her children now. He was certain human females wanted to have children as much as dragon females did. But he would have a human family now, and unlike most male dragons, he would stay with his family._

_Alys and Selendrile settle into their new life quietly. Or as quietly as they can. Because the town does enjoy a bit of a sensation. And the the young widowed newcomer's dead husband mysteriously turning up has definitely caused a bit of a sensation._

A/N: This ending makes me feel guilty because while it makes me happy, I also feel like it takes away from the whole point of "having to make a hard decision" that my fic was supposed to be about. And facing the fact that there are no easy solutions to all problems. Alys had put herself in a situation which was bound to lead to heartbreak. Even in a world where magic exists, a magical solution of a dragon turning to human seems far-fetched. And even if it weren't far-fetched, I still have doubts that Selendrile will want to give up his identity, his dragon life-span and his shape-shifting ability.

But I'd be curious to know what you think! Please feel free to leave your thoughts in a review!


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